ANC statement on 2021 Local Government Elections plans
16 September 2021
On the 1st of November this year, 2021, our organisation the African National Congress will participate in the Local Government Elections as proclaimed by the Minister of Cooperative Governance, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.
The ANC has always viewed Local Government as an important layer of governance as it provides democratic and accountable government for local communities.
Our organisation, the ANC even in the formative stages of democratic governance in South Africa based on the will of the people sought to create Local Government that will ensure the provision of services to communities in a sustainable manner and to promote social and economic development.
We sought to advance and create Local Government that will promote a safe and healthy environment and encourage the involvement of communities and community organisations in the matters of local government.
For the past 26 years initially through Transitional Local Councils, the ANC has worked to advance the interests of almost all communities in South Africa.
The ANC led the process to introduce Ward Based Municipal governance system as well as the first demarcation of municipal boundaries ultimately providing for District and Local Municipalities in South Africa in the year 2000.
This year, 2021, the ANC will be going back to communities to ask for the renewal of its democratic mandate in order to continue with the task of making our communities safer and even much better.
Our 2021 Local Government Elections programme is firmly on track and in full swing. We are satisfied that all our processes are proceeding according to schedule and will meet the timelines as set out by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).
VOTER REGISTRATION WEEKEND
This coming weekend, on Saturday the 18th of September and Sunday the 19th of September 2021, our movement, led by President Cyril Ramaphosa and National Officials, will be on the ground encouraging communities to take advantage of the IEC's Open Voter Registration Weekend.
The immediate task of the ANC is to mobilize the rest of society including first-time voters, to register for the 1st of November 2021 Local Government Elections and to Vote for the ANC. We will also be encouraging those eligible voters who have either relocated or changed their addresses since the last elections to also update their details on the voters roll so that they can make their democratic choice on who should become their public representatives where they live. Every vote makes a difference and contribute to the betterment of communities. It is through the exercise of this enshrined right to vote that ordinary members of the community takes charge of their localities.
Voting is part of driving change and development in communities. On a daily basis, the ANC advocates and encourage citizens to never forgo their civic duty of voting at every election so long as they are eligible.
MANIFESTO LAUNCH
The ANC will launch its Election Manifesto in Tshwane on Monday the 27th of September 2021. The weekend of the manifesto launch will be preceded by community engagements led by President Ramaphosa and the leadership of the ANC reflecting on the past five years of local government.
In compliance with COVID-19 protocols and regulations, the ANC Manifesto Launch will be held in Tshwane with only 500 people in attendance. The manifesto launch will be followed by the rollout of localised manifesto launches in the Metro's and the rest of the local municipalities. Our Ward Councillor Candidates will also be rolling out ward based Manifesto launches responding to ward based service delivery plans and specifically aligned to the main Manifesto. In this way the ANC will once more be given impetus to its rallying call that "People Shall Govern".
The Manifesto launch across all levels will also be populated in all @MyANC digital platforms and other mass platforms that provide for direct engagements with voters.
COUNCILLOR CANDIDATE SELECTION PROCESS
Whilst the deadline for the candidate selection process was set to be Saturday, 11 September 2021 at 11h00, the ANC had issued a directive that the dispute resolution process would continue post the election date on 01 November 2021.
All our structures worked around the clock to meet the set deadline for the candidate selection process and we are more than satisfied with the progress in this regard.
The ANC is very proud of its democratic process of nominating candidates for the forthcoming local government election because this process empowers the communities with a final decision on who becomes their councilor in each ward throughout the country.
It is the ANC's conviction that our voters must have a final say on the selection of comrades who should form pan of the local government. This approach gives concrete expression to the Freedom Charter vision that: "The people shall govern"
The democratic nature of the ANC's internal processes on candidate selection has generated unprecedented interest from the communities throughout the country. This had also resulted in robust contest amongst the candidates, and we have as such be inundated with disputes.
The ANC Electoral Committee, which is chaired by Cde Kgalema Motlanthe has established rules for the candidate selection process with guidelines on the resolution of the disputes. The directive of the Electoral Committee is that all disputes should be lodged with the Provincial List Committees (PLCs) and appeals against the PLC verdicts should be lodged with Electoral Committee for final decisions.
In the spirit of renewal within the ANC, the Electoral Committee has directed that all the disputes lodged in accordance with the rules must be attended to. In some instances, there are serious allegations of transgressions including the manipulation of candidate lists.
All these matters are being investigated by the relevant ANC structures so that disciplinary and legal action could be taken against the transgressors. It is on this basis that the ANC has decided that the dispute resolution will continue until all matters are satisfactorily resolved and the by-elections could be triggered if some councillors are found to have been fraudulently nominated for registration with the IEC.
The ANC is very proud of its democratic process of nominating candidates for the forthcoming local government election because this process empowers the communities with a final decision on who becomes their councilor in each ward throughout the country. It is the ANC's conviction that our voters must have a final say on the selection of comrades who should form part of the local government. This approach gives concrete expression to the Freedom Charter vision that: "The people shall govern"
In the spirit of renewal within the ANC, the Electoral Committee has directed that all the disputes lodged in accordance with the rules must be attended to. In some instances, there are serious allegations of transgressions including the manipulation of candidate lists. All these matters are being investigated by the relevant ANC structures so that disciplinary and legal action could be taken against the transgressors.
It is on this basis that the ANC has decided that the dispute resolution shall continue until all matters are satisfactorily resolved and the by-elections could be triggered if some councillors are found to have been fraudulently nominated for registration with the IEC.
We call on our rank and file, volunteers, supporters and leaders of the ANC and its structures across all levels to go out and mobilise for the Voter Registration Weekend, Manifesto Launches and ultimately voting for the ANC on the 1st of November 2021 in order to deliver decisive victory and restore the confidence of our people in the African National Congress.
Issued by Pule Mabe, National Spokesperson, ANC, 16 September 2021
